can truly bring out the best in your pasta dish. I was excited to receive a selection of Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Pastas to create a new recipe for their Summer Pastabilities contest. (Um, yeah...I just might have won the Have a Grain Holiday Contest!)

I am also prefer vegetarian meals and love to create side dishes or main dishes that can satisfy meat-lovers and vegetarians alike!

I created the Dilly Summer Squash and Lentil Pasta Salad to be served in smaller portions as a side dish but also it is hearty enough (thanks to the lentils) to serve as a main dish! It is full of fresh summer flavors and has already been a hit at a few of my summer parties!

Prepare pasta according to package directions: Bring 4 qts. of water to a boil. Salt to taste. Add pasta to boiling water; stir vigorously until water boils again. Cook for 7-9 minutes or until desired tenderness. Drain.

Prepare lentils: At least 8 hours prior (or overnight), soak 1/2 cup DRY lentils in 2 cups water. Drain water. Using a steamer basket, fill large pot with a couple inches of water. Place steamer basket in the pot, add the lentils to the basket, cover and steam for approximately 20 minutes. Taste the lentils at this point to see if they are the desired tenderness for you. Once cooked, let cool.

Using a basic cheese grater (mine has large holes on one side and small on the other. I used the larger holes) grate the yellow squash and the zucchini. Add to the bowl.

Slice the red onion in half. Save one half and and coarsely chop the other half. Add to bowl.

Coarsely chop the red pepper. Add to bowl.

Wash and pat dry the dill. Chop the dill leaves (trying to avoid using the stem). Set aside.

The large bowl should have the 2 varieties of squash, red onion, and red pepper. Once the lentils are cool add them to the vegetable mixture. Once the past is cool add it to the bowl.

Pour dressing over the salad and gently mix to thoroughly coat the salad (you can adjust the amount of dressing, by adding a little at a time).

Add 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese and toss.

Add the chopped dill, mix to combine.

This might seem like a lot of ingredients...but it is really easy to prepare and all of the ingredients are easily available in most markets. And it tastes so good...you will want to make this again and again!

I would love to try their angel hair pasta. I love using that pasta in pasta salad. I love the way you added dill. I bet that tastes so good. I have some fresh basil and I think I'm going to add that into the next pasta salad I make.

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